10 sessions and getting murky

[PanchoGoz]

To remind people of something I said in another thread, CBT combined with mindfulness and/or interpersonal therapy (meaning how we relate to other people and deal with the outside world) has dramatically higher success and relapse prevention rates than the "normal" CBT where you intensively treat specific beliefs and problems.

Totally agree. You need both sides of the spiritual coin.

[daintydi]

Think the number of sessions is paramount to ones recovery. When I asked how many sessions, I was expecting the answer to be 6 or 10 . I'd already decided that wouldn't be enough for me and was about to explain why. When my therapist said " how ever many you need" this took the wind straight out of my sails! Keep up the good posts! Well done this far and take care x

[NoPoet]

Hi all, thanks for the replies, it seems like people have already got some things figured out and it's nice to know that we are coming to the same conclusions. Maybe when we see advertisements for CBT, they should clearly state "number of sessions is dependent on type, length and severity of your issues".

Someone with GAD will probably require more treatment than someone with health anxiety, since health anxiety is a specific issue (albeit a big one).

Someone who has had GAD for 10 years will probably require more treatment than someone who has had GAD for 2 years.

The main thing seems to be how prevalent negative thinking/behaviour/attitudes are. This is why someone who's suffered longer needs more treatment. They have a much greater store of bad memories, horrible feelings, unpleasant experiences and negative associations. In my case, these have been left untreated and gradually multiplied to the extent where I was a walking mass of negativity, and there would always have been a crunch point where I had some kind of breakdown.

You also need to find the negative beliefs causing the problems. Depression is a bitch in this respect as the beliefs are often so painful that digging them out makes you worse (at first).

My remaining unresolved fears relate to death of myself and my loved ones, and fear of depression as I still unconsciously believe it leads to death. Therefore, everything that remains to be dealt with links to death.

I have been so negative for so long it is almost impossible to imagine being free of the shadow of depression/anxiety. I literally don't know how to exist without them and panic during the times they are absent - this explains why I am always bringing myself down.

So therapy has definitely reached the hardest point, but coming so far means it must be possible to keep going and keep getting better. I've lost count of the times I've said "If I can lose my fear of (insert problem here), I'll be so much better." Well in time I did lose my fear of those things, so I guess I can lose my fear of death too.

Claire Weekes makes it sound so easy when she says "It's all in one little word: accept."

EDIT: Just writing this post has brought me huge relief for some reason. Sometimes, just talking about the worst things can release pressure you an't actually aware you felt.

[Lion King]

Hi Psychopoet,

Great stuff as always, I had about 12 sessions of CBT to deal with my GAD/SAD, it did me well whilst I was on medication. My fear is dealing with GAD/SAD without medication, I did recently recently go cold turkey (not the best decision ever!), I felt well for 5 weeks but then crashed, I tried everything positive but I became overwhelmed and now I'm back on full dose of citalopram. I feel like I could do with more therapy sessions to help me keep the techniques fresh in my mind but not sure if I would get them now, I felt weak without the meds.

Are you still on citalopram?

LK

[NoPoet]

Hi LK, long time no see. There is of course the worry that I am only recovering so well because of my medication.

I stopped taking cit in January 2012 because it was making me too ill with anxiety, depression, headache, nausea and loss of appetite. I've been on mirtazapine since then with increased appetite for the first month, and only a burned out feeling in the mornings. Big difference in side effects between mirt and cit.

On the other hand, while the right medication can alleviate some symptoms, I think there can be a placebo effect ("I'm taking medication so I should start feeling better"). There's no way to know until you come off the meds.

I'm not ready to come off meds yet as my anxiety problem was severe (17 out of 21 on the scale). My CBT treatment will include relapse prevention towards the end. We are also dealing with my interpersonal issues since CBT has higher success and relapse prevention rates when mindfulness and/or interpersonal skills are introduced.

I've spent all my life suffering from anxiety so I expect many more sessions. You said you had 12, but that seems quite a low number to tackle GAD, especially taking into account the element of depression, so consider contacting Anxiety UK to arrange more sessions.

[NoPoet]

Hi everyone, more progress. My anxiety score has dropped to 11 out of 21 so obviously therapy and self-help have been working. Unfortunately things have got tougher at work, and just as I was beginning to overcome my relationship anxiety, my relationship has hit problems.

So at the moment everything is hard work with little payoff. My girlfriend said she is starting to see me more as a friend than a boyfriend. We're going on holiday shortly but I am afraid this will be the end of us as a couple. She's been extremely patient with my anxiety issues but to be honest it is her that has changed, she isn't as loving as when we first met and is constantly annoyed with things. it is sometimes a chore to have a conversation with her.

I'll post more as good stuff has happened. I guess like everyone, I just focus on the bad.

[qaher]

at first i would like to congratue your nice and encourge movement for cbt session , then personal i was get more benifite from your sucssess story,

[ammiemum]

hi PP, I had a similar start then as more things were uncovered therapist just said dont worry about the time and got more sessions arranged. i ended up going for 14 months.
Also, I too would have gone earlier if I had known how much it would eventually help me, 'hindsight is a wonderful thing' Although it does take courage to keep going back when you are going through the pain...It is SO worth it!

[NoPoet]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies and the encouragement. As Ammiemum has found, CBT can take months upon months to really get anywhere, because some of us have an entire life to sort out!

I am now starting to reach the point where being in a blip does not brings increased fear exactly, more a wary acknowledgement that I am in for a tough time and I have been given another opportunity to practice what I have learnt. I've learned that I am trying to "therapise" (is that a word?) every negative feeling and every stray thought, and I am not accepting that there are down days even for a recovered person.

Everyone with GAD and depression in particular should consider CBT rather than counselling. It is absolutely essential that people with confidence or esteem issues learn what's going wrong with their view of themselves, and start to build themselves up.

I've gone from being a virtual recluse to spending hours out on my own in a pub (supporting my mate who was DJing), days out taking pics of the scenery etc, going bike riding with my mate, making new friends and generally starting to appreciate life in a new way.

This is after four months of CBT. So as people can see, and as Ammiemum has attested, CBT can make a difference; I often wonder what's next to come, as there is a lot of CBT ahead, months at least.

Bring it on!